Obituary
Barbara Laney, 91, of Port Orange, FL, passed away peacefully at Port Orange Nursing and Rehab on Wednesday, January 22, 2020.
Barbara was born in Detroit, MI and lived locally for over 70 years. She attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota, studying elementary education prior to moving with her family to Daytona Beach, FL. She met her husband Robert P. Laney and they married in Daytona Beach in 1950.
Barbara began working at the Daytona Beach News Journal as a proof reader for the local paper. Her next job was as a substitute teacher working in numerous elementary schools in the Daytona Beach area. Her next teaching endeavor was her hiring by Daytona Beach Chapter of A.R.C. where she instituted a new program for the developmentally disabled students in her class. She brought the students to the 32 acre family owned farm in rural Port Orange and instituted an equine therapy program by slowly allowing the children and young adults to learn to pet, brush, feed and eventually ride many of the horses owned by her family. Some of our best family memories were gained by assisting the students gain their self confidence and trust of the horses as well as other animals including pigs, goats, chickens, and the family pet raccoon “Rocky.”
After selling the farm Barbara used her experience with owning, training and boarding many horses into purchasing many registered American quarter horses. This experience led her to her next endeavor when she began working as a groom and assistant trainer to some of Florida’s best American quarter horse trainers. She trained and raced many horses for numerous owners. She trained and raced horses in Florida, Louisiana, Kentucky and Illinois. After this chapter in her life she returned to the Port Orange area and began waitressing for many years at Down the Hatch Seafood Restaurant in Ponce Inlet. She finally retired from working and became a full time grandmother. In 1997 Barbara moved into the Epiphany Manor ALF where she resided until early 2019 when she moved into Port Orange Nursing and Rehab where she remained until her passing.
Barbara was predeceased by her parents Hal and Harriet Helfer, and her husband Robert P. Laney, Sr. She is survived by her brother William Helfer, 93, of Ann Arbor, MI. Barbara is also survived by her four sons, Bob Laney, Jr., Port Orange, Curt (Diana) Laney, Port Orange, Mark (Irene) Laney, Lemoine, Maine, and Scott Laney, Port Orange. Grandchildren, Kim (Lewis) Perry, Edgewater, T.J. Laney (Julie) Port Orange, Tammy Laney, Orlando, Mark Laney, Jr. (Lisette) Bradenton, Coral Laney, Gainesville, and Christopher Laney, Gainesville and great grandchild Ryan Laney, Port Orange.
The family would also like to thank the staff at Port Orange Nursing and Rehab as well as the staff from Halifax Health Hospice of Volusia/Flagler who worked tirelessly to provide excellent quality care for our mother.
Services for Barbara are private at this time and at the discretion of her family. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Halifax Health Hospice of Volusia/ Flagler.
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